Matthew Michael Ross is the founder of AON Films. His suspense drama, “Invisible,” has achieved significant acclaim, receiving seven awards and five-star reviews, and it recently premiered on Prime Video. “Food for Thought” received a nomination for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Other notable projects, such as “Desperation Highway” and “Mother’s Day Memories,” have also garnered notable recognition.

www.aonfilms.com

Q. What is one word you would use to describe yourself?

A. Perseverance. It takes a lot to accomplish anything that’s important. A lot of people begin a project and get sidetracked or get discouraged. Sometimes I feel like a dog with a bone and I won’t let go. I think that’s one of the secrets to success.

Q. If you ever retire, would you prefer to live by the ocean, lake, river, mountaintop, desert, or penthouse?

A. Even though I grew up in the country by a river and also spent time living by the ocean, I’ve grown accustomed to city living. I like being able to walk everywhere. I enjoy walking for groceries and shopping. I prefer not to drive if possible. I think a penthouse is a bit extravagant, but let’s just say a nice apartment in a city building. Maybe Paris, maybe London, maybe New York.

Q. How do you measure success?

A. I can’t remember who said this or how it goes exactly, but “fame is what other people give you, while success is what you give yourself.” For me, success is measured by the projects I complete, the projects I create, and the people I surround myself with.

Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?

A. Currently, my focus is on raising awareness and exploring potential cures for chronic pain. I know $1 million wouldn’t be enough, but that’s where I would put my money right now. We have so many problems in the world, but understanding people‘s invisible pain would be at the top of my list.

Q. Who has been the biggest influence throughout your life?

A. I guess the question here is, are we talking about a good influence or a bad influence? Because both of them create who you are. I’ve spent a lot of time moving away from people who influence me negatively. But the people who’ve influenced me in the most positive way would be my mother and my father. They always taught me to fight for myself, to believe in myself, and to be an honest and genuine person.

Q. If you could give advice to your younger self what would it be?

A. There are so many things that I would tell my younger self if I could go back. Be true to who you are. Don’t try to impress people with words. Do it with what you’ve accomplished. Be a leader and a good influence on others. And beware of those claiming to be your friend and protecting you. Be diligent.

Q. From what school of thought or teacher did you learn the most from?

A. It’s interesting. I took a lot of writing classes, as well as a lot of acting classes. I studied directing and filmmaking. But the school of thought I learned the most from was improvisation. It allowed me to be free with what was going on inside of me, rather than trying to put it into some order. By freeing me up, my true self shone through, and I was able to create without boundaries.

Q. What major event or realization shaped who you are?

A. Unfortunately, the loss of my father made me grow up a lot faster than I wanted. I questioned whether there was a higher power. I questioned my abilities. But in the end, I came out a stronger man and an independent thinker. Sometimes, going through something very hard creates strength in you.

Q. What book(s) have you read more than once?

A. I’ve read a few books more than once, but the most ridiculous book that I read twice was The Agony in the Ecstasy. Something about that book, the fictional story of Michelangelo, drew me in, and I hung on every word. I wanted to read it again to see if it had the same impact on me, and it did.

Q. If you were giving a dinner party for your 3 favorite authors, living or dead, who would they be?

A. I’m honestly not sure if SE Hinton is still alive, but I definitely would like to talk to him over dinner. Discuss the inspiration behind The Outsiders and Rumble Fish. Hemingway would be fun to talk to as well. I think we’d have some things in common, but we would probably also argue about a few things. I’ve always wanted to meet Truman Capote. He fascinates me not just because of what he’s written, but because of who he was. Hopefully, he would be sober through part of the meal.

Q. Which film have you watched the most?

A. I’ve probably watched some ridiculous comedy over and over again because it serves as a kind of comfort blanket. But if I had to say, for certain, Blade Runner comes to mind. The special effects and the characters really get to me. I never get bored watching that film.

Q. Who is your favorite film director?

A. I can’t tell you who my favorite film director is because I have so many of them. They are so diverse in their creativity, their storytelling, and their approach. But I’ve always been a big fan of Sydney Lumet. The characters are so incredibly three-dimensional. His visuals are spot on. Dog Day Afternoon is one of my top 10.

Q. Are you binge watching any TV series?

A. I binge watch a lot of British television. I finished Adolescence very quickly and I mean the show not my adolescence. I used to binge watch line of duty another British series. I just finished Squid Games and I really liked Shrinking.

Q. Who is your favorite performer, living or dead?

A. I’ll admit it. I’m a big Coldplay fan. I’ve seen them four times and I think Chris Martin is a great showman as well as a great singer. Of course Elton John is also amazing.

Q. Who are your heroes in real life?

A. My father, my uncle’s, and now my future father-in-law were all in the military. So anyone who’s willing to lay down their life for our country is a hero to me. Along with that, the brave firefighters and police officers that keep us safe.

Q. What is the best and or worse piece of advice someone has given you?

A. Well, the worst piece of advice I’ve ever received was probably related to a stock that was going to send me into early retirement. Of course, that stock ended up getting clobbered. The best advice someone gave me was that you can’t help what people may say about you, good or bad. So just stay true to yourself and take what people say about you lightly.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve given someone else?

A. I’m not joking when I say this, but the best piece of advice I’ve given someone else is don’t give unsolicited advice. If someone needs your help, they will ask for it. When you give people advice unsolicited, it’s like you think you have a better idea of something than they do. It’s a bit narcissistic. That’s just my opinion.

Q. What do you value most in a friendship?

A. I have been very, very blessed with great friendships. The most important thing for me in a friendship is acceptance and not being judged. We go through life with so many people judging us, and it’s nice to have someone who just accepts us for who we are and values that.

Q. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

A. Right now, I’m loving the fact that INVISIBLE, my new feature film, is out on Prime Video for the world to see. Winning seven awards was also very rewarding. I think all achievements in your life are part of the great tapestry that is your legacy. So, for now, I hope my greatest achievement is in front of me.

Q. What is your biggest fear?

A. Was it Roosevelt that said our biggest fear is fear itself? I see so many people immobilized by fear. I try very hard to make decisions in my life that will make me happy and free from stress. So, like the former president, my biggest fear is that fear will come to me at some point.

Q. Where do you go when you’re seeking solitude?

A. I’ve been playing piano and guitar since I was a tween. It’s always been a place that I can go and be by myself and find peace. Sometimes, I make a lot of noise and sometimes it’s just a quiet piano. But I’ve been blessed with solitude. In the end, it’s your mind and your body that need to relax.

Q. What is your biggest regret?

A. I’m of the mindset that we tend to regret more the things we didn’t do than the things that we’ve done. And that’s true for me. So I still have a lot of time on this earth and anything that I haven’t accomplished, I’ll work at it. So I’ll have to get back to you at the end of my life and tell you if I regretted anything.

Q. What is the greatest risk you’ve ever taken?

A. Moving away from my family and all my childhood friends was difficult. These are your roots, your mirrors. So that was scary for me. And ultimately risky, but I’ve made a lot of great friends out here in California and I still stay close with my East Coast family.

Q. What is something you’ve learned about yourself in the last six months?

A. I feel like a humble brag is coming around the bend. Making Invisible, I feel like I’ve learned that I have no limits to what I can do. Going from preproduction to production to post production and everything else, I kept hitting these plateaus of what was in my wheelhouse. But then shortly after, I had to learn a new trade. And here we are promoting the film and that’s new for me as well.

Q. What is something you are currently curious about?

A. I’m curious about where the world is going, about what we’re gonna do with artificial intelligence. I’m curious to see how we’re gonna all get along again. And I’m curious if our better angels are going to prevail. But there’s a little bit of me that feels like a cat seeing the dangers of being curious.

Q. What is your motto?

A. I’m not sure if I have a personal motto, but I think my film company stands as a motto for my main belief. All or nothing. That’s what AON films stands for. I’m either gonna do it and put my all into it or I’m gonna walk away. It’s those that fall in the cracks starting something they can’t finish. That’s not me.